Eating right: What is it, and why is it worth the effort?

Personal trainers and physicians are always talking about “eating right and exercising.” But what is “eating right,” and why should we make the effort?

Do those core exercises and shed the fat, and this is what you might find underneath! (Jupiter Images)

Benefit #1: You’ll become a “hottie” and rev up your metabolism
Believe it or not, you control your metabolism. By eating frequently, you are literally adding fuel to the fire and keeping it burning hot! Metabolism is simply the process by which your body converts fuel (food) into useful energy. If you eat once a day, your “fire” struggles to stay lit, much less hot. Choosing to eat 5 or 6 smaller meals each day keeps your systems working and allows that “fire” to burn through each meal, because your body is confident that another meal is coming in a few hours. There’s no need for it to store any fuel (i.e., body fat!), because fuel is being added regularly.

Benefit #2: You’ll unwrap that 6-pack and show it off
When each of the 5 or 6 meals that you consume are made up of high-quality ingredients, not only does your metabolism stay hot, but subtle shifts occur in your hormonal balance that encourage fat loss. High-quality food is real food … not the prepackaged, overly processed, fast food that is calorie-dense but nutritionally void. Each meal should consist of 3 components: a lean protein, a fibrous carbohydrate (preferably vegetable!) and a starchy carbohydrate (whole grains, potatoes or beans).

Your body also needs good fat … but don’t clog it up with too much of the stuff! Remember, all those crunches and core exercises you’re doing are certainly creating a wonderful 6-pack, but you need to shed that layer of fat to show it off.

Benefit #3: You’ll unleash unlimited battery power
All right, maybe not “unlimited” — but your energy will not only increase, it will stay consistent throughout the day. No more roller coaster highs and lows. No more dependence on chemical stimulants. And no more need for chemical depressants to sleep at night. With high-quality food, consistently applied, your blood sugar will gently undulate instead of spike and crash, and your pancreas will be able to able to handle each day with ease.

Bonus: Staying alive and healthy. Insulin resistance, Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and other lifestyle-triggered diseases can easily be traced to overloading the pancreas by making it respond to excesses in blood sugar caused by overly processed, fiber-free and sugar-laden diets.

Want some ideas on how to fit these frequent meals into your day? What to fix? How to avoid the drive-thru? Go to theconditioningclassroom.com and take a look at our book, “Eating Simply.” It’s a simple guide to give you some quick ideas to get started eating right.

Trainer Dianne Bailey is the founder and co-owner of The Conditioning Classroom, a private personal training studio, with her younger son, Grant Pettegrew. Contact her directly at dbailey@theconditioningclassroom.com.

This is true that a personal trainer is always helpful in every kind of training. We can get any help about healthy food from a personal trainer. Eating right food is important to maintain health and fitness.

The pursuit of a healthier state through better living. The Denver Post's ColoradoFit blog features local experts on the latest fitness trends, active lifestyles and nutrition options in Colorado and beyond.